diff --git a/src/move/tasks/identify_associations.py b/src/move/tasks/identify_associations.py
index 91f2660..0aeb129 100644
--- a/src/move/tasks/identify_associations.py
+++ b/src/move/tasks/identify_associations.py
@@ -120,15 +120,7 @@ def prepare_for_categorical_perturbation(
     )
     dataloaders.append(baseline_dataloader)
 
-    target_dataset_idx = config.data.categorical_names.index(task_config.target_dataset)
-    target_dataset = cat_list[target_dataset_idx]
-    feature_mask = np.all(target_dataset == target_value, axis=2)  # 2D: N x P
-    feature_mask |= np.sum(target_dataset, axis=2) == 0
-
-    return (
-        dataloaders,
-        feature_mask,
-    )
+    return dataloaders
 
 
 def prepare_for_continuous_perturbation(
@@ -846,10 +838,17 @@ def identify_associations(config: MOVEConfig) -> None:
     # Identify associations between categorical and continuous features:
     else:
         logger.info("Beginning task: identify associations categorical")
-        (
-            dataloaders,
-            feature_mask,
-        ) = prepare_for_categorical_perturbation(
+        task_config = cast(IdentifyAssociationsConfig, config.task)
+        target_dataset_idx = config.data.categorical_names.index(
+            task_config.target_dataset
+        )
+        target_dataset = cat_list[target_dataset_idx]
+        mappings = io.load_mappings(interim_path / "mappings.json")
+        target_mapping = mappings[task_config.target_dataset]
+        target_value = one_hot_encode_single(target_mapping, task_config.target_value)
+        feature_mask = np.all(target_dataset == target_value, axis=2)  # 2D: N x P
+        feature_mask |= np.sum(target_dataset, axis=2) == 0
+        dataloaders = prepare_for_categorical_perturbation(
             config, interim_path, baseline_dataloader, cat_list
         )